Health and Care

Busting targets and myths by understanding what is really happening and why

In the face of rising demand on their services, health and care providers have been struggling to find further efficiencies and improve patient outcomes.

At the House of Lords on 12 March 2014, Vanguard and Locality launched our newly published report on a study that analysed hundreds of thousands of demands placed on the public and third sectors across multiple localities in the UK over the previous three years.

The report describes how failure demand is the biggest cause of rising demand in health and care providers, not demographics. By using the Vanguard Method to focus on reducing failure demand, health and care organisations have boosted efficiency, unlocked valuable resource and improved patient outcomes.

In Health and Care, Vanguard’s clients have achieved the following astonishing results:

Sustained underspend in community care budget – cost avoidance of £1.5m in 2013/14

Referrals resulting in statutory funded packages of care reduced to 10.9% – down from 24.1%

28% reduction in residential and nursing care placements

46% reduction in contacts into Social Services

Re–referrals reduced by 46% to 10%

30% reduction in assessments

This is beyond integration.
We now understand before we access, build relationships rather than transact, take responsibility instead of referring on, and take time to understand what someone needs to live a good life instead of prescribing standard packages of activity

Julie Boothroyd, Head of Adult Services, Monmouthshire County Council

Overall reduction of 36% in non elective admissions to hospital in one GP practice

75% of worker’s time now focused on work of direct value to citizens. In the old system 80% of work was waste activity

Reduced need or no ongoing need for social care support

Prevention of strain / breakdown for carers

This new way of thinking has created a service which is as different for my patients as night is from day. They are delighted and so am I

Youth Protection

50% reduction in the number of families under the care of the organisation from 8,000 (around 20,000 children) to 4,000

61% reduction in protective measures

53% reduction in the number of out-of-home placements

46% reduction in youth parole measures

16% reduction in child custody / wardship

28% reduction in referrals to youth care providers

75% reduction in unnecessary administration

We are transforming our social care system thanks to the Vanguard Method. We are working with families to understand what really matters to them. As a result, we have halved the number of children needing to go into care

Erik Gemitsen, Chief Executive of the Bureau for Youth Care, Greater Amsterdam area

Community

17% demand reduction

Recurrent savings projected at upwards of £85m per annum

The results are profound. Citizens previously labelled as lost are starting to live good lives, demand on services is going down and the size of opportunity to reduce costs is staggering

John van de Laarschot, Chief Executive, Stoke-on-Trent City Council

Children’s Services

92% reduction in time from referral to the provision of service

50% reduction in failure demand

The old system – 80% of worker’s time spent on paperwork and writing reports; the new system – 80% of workers time spent face to face with the child and their family

Better for children – children only need to see one person (rather than 15)

Adult Services

The old system took an average of 62 days simply to assess needs. The new system understands people and their needs and provides the right help on average within 49 days

More effective assessment – ‘right first time’ increased from 52% to 90%